This invention relates to a method for the catalytic oxidative dehydrogenation of dehydrogenatable organic compounds.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,073,664 issued Dec. 17, 1991, a process for the coupling of alkanes at low temperature over a regenerable stoichiometric reagent, barium peroxide, is disclosed. We have further found, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,227,565, issued Jul. 13, 1993, that by modifying the catalyst by incorporation of transition metal complexes or salts, reactivity is significantly altered even though levels as low as 1% (wt) of a transition metal are added to the barium peroxide.
Walker et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,792,103, disclose oxidative dehydrogenation of alkanes using Phillips' Ni/Sn/P/K catalyst at high temperatures. At 593.degree. C. and a high air to butane ratio (gas hourly space velocities: n-butane, 500 h.sup.-1 ; air, 2500 h.sup.-1 ; steam, 5000 h.sup.-1), the Phillips catalyst resulted in 39.9% conversion of butane and 62.1% selectivity to butenes plus butadiene.
Patel et al., Selective Oxidative Dehydrogenation of Alkanes over Mg Vanadates, Proc. 9th Int. Congr. Catalysis, 1554-61 (1988), discloses V/Mg/O catalysts useful for oxidative dehydrogenation of alkanes. At 540.degree. C. with Mg.sub.3 (VO.sub.4).sub.2 catalyst, Patel et al. report up to 17% conversion of butane, 56% selectivity to butenes and butadienes and 36% selectivity to carbon oxides.
We have now found that barium peroxide doped with transition metal compounds can be utilized not only as a regenerable stoichiometric reagent, but also as a catalyst or catalyst precursor for the continuous oxidative dehydrogenation of organic compounds in the presence of co-fed oxidants. The active catalytic species have not been identified, but are believed to form in situ.